NEWS

The Philharmonia Orchestra has appointed two internationally acclaimed conductors, Jakub Hrůša and Santtu-Matias Rouvali, as Principal Guest Conductors. With these appointments, under the leadership of Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Esa-Pekka Salonen, the Orchestra broadens its artistic team. The post of Principal Guest Conductor was last held by Sir Charles Mackerras, until his death in 2010.

Hrůša and Rouvali take up their roles at the beginning of the 2017/18 Season. Both artists will conduct several concerts a year – and contribute to the programming for the Orchestra’s major series – in the Philharmonia’s London Season at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, as well as in concerts across the Orchestra’s UK programme and internationally.

Czech conductor Jakub Hrůša (35) has been a regular guest conductor with the Orchestra since his debut in 2011. With a wide-ranging repertoire, the music of Central Europe has been a strong feature of his programmes, including a revelatory performance of Suk’s Asrael Symphony in 2014.

Click here to watch a new film about Jakub Hrůša and the Philharmonia.

Santtu-Matias Rouvali (31), who is from Finland, has conducted the Philharmonia in concerts across its UK residencies. In his debut with the Philharmonia at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in January 2016, Rouvali conducted the Second Symphony of his Finnish compatriot, Sibelius, alongside Rolf Martinsson’s Trumpet Concerto, with Håkan Hardenberger as soloist.

Click here to watch a film about Santtu-Matias Rouvali, filmed on location in Finland.

Jakub Hrůša and Santtu-Matias Rouvali both conduct the Philharmonia at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in April 2017. On Thursday 6 April 2017, Hrůša conducts Dvořák Symphony No. 8 and the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with Sergey Khachatryan.

Rouvali conducts a sold-out Sunday matinee on Sunday 23 April at 3pm. Following a pre-concert talk in which he speaks to the Philharmonia’s Principal Trumpet, Alistair Mackie, Rouvali conducts The Planets and Elgar’s Cello Concerto, with Alban Gerhardt the soloist.

Looking ahead to 2017/18, Rouvali conducts Ravel’s arrangement of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition on 5 October. Hrůša conducts a work close to his heart: the complete version of Smetana’s Ma Vlast in Leicester (7 October) and London (8 October), alongside Dvořák’s Violin Concerto in A minor with soloist Hilary Hahn.